Dear 87
by Saskya-Amant
Summary: A simple letter can be powerful thing when it is all that keeps you connected to the outside world. When all you have is four stone walls, a few kind kind words can keep you warm on those bone chilling nights where you can't hold on any longer.
1. Prolog

**A.I.R.S SOARS NEW HEIGHTS**

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**The A.I.R.S Company (AZKABAN IN-MATE REHABILITATION SYSTEM) has recently released an official statement that they have been given the vote by the Ministry to start their new Peer Letter project. The company's leaders believe that with a little human contact some of the in mates may find peace with their life sentences. The A.I.R.S Company does not condone what the prisoners had done to deserve their sentences but believes that everyone should have someone that they can talk to and that this program gives the in mates a revenue in which they can release their grief and possibly regret. **

**The head of the A.I.R.S company, Miss Luna Lovegood (aged twenty-five) said  
"That [she] doubted whether any of the in mates had every been given the chance to really open up to anyone. Lovegood continued to say that she wondered whether they had every had the opportunity given to them at all within their lives." **

**Miss Lovegood also added on a later date, that all the participants writing to the in mates were strictly voluntaries and to kept their identities anonymous to the inmates they would all be given a number to use to be identified with. It was stressed that at any point in the program they felt no longer comfortable with their inmate that they could suspend their contract and that it would all end there no strings attached. What Miss Lovegood did not release was that whatever the inmates write to one of the A.I.R.S company voluntaries is highly confidential and that the Ministry has put a ban on all contents from ever being leaked to the Prophet. So no juicy gossip for any of our fellow readers. **

**The atypical blond has had overwhelming support for the program. On top of the Ministry's benediction, war hero Hermione Granger is rumored to be one of the volunteers participating in the program. Little has been said about who the brains of the Golden Trio had been assigned to correspond with, but when asked on the subject Miss Granger simply said, "An innocent man."**

**This comment leaves everyone here at the Daily Prophet in quite a spin. Maybe you can answer that has left us speechless, who could the best friend of Harry Potter consider an innocent inside the cold walls of Azkaban? And does she have interior motives for joining the Peers Letter program?**


	2. Letter One

To 87,

I must first state before anything else that I am writing this in protest, as I believe the notion that a 'peer letter' will some how help my find inner peace to be absurd. Furthermore I hope that you do not plan on endeavoring on a long, deep and meaningful correspondence. You will not gain, learn or expand your knowledge in any way by this political grand standing done by the Ministry, This is nothing more than a blind fold wrapped around the London Wizardry communities eyes.

By corresponding with me via letters every fourteen days, will not make my time spent in this shallow well any less damp, dark and any less abundant. So now I will tell you what will make this beneficial for the both us.

Don't write to me with idle chit chat, I am not your friend, brother, father or anything remotely relative to the sphere of someone who would care to hear every little detail of your sad life. For you must be sad and pathetic to have nothing more to do than to write to a convicted in mate.

Do not ask me questions. You will not learn anything from me that you can not already find in an issue of the Daily Prophet. I will not have a stranger using my life mistakes as a means for personal gain, no matter what the contracts say I will not risk it. My secrets are mine and shall remain so.

Do not tell me anything personal about yourself. I neither care not want to know anything about you.

As this is mandatory on my part I would suggest that you just suspend your contract with the A.I.R.S Company, but I know that if you have come this far in the process it is not likely to be that easy to dissuade you. So this is the only thing I will ask from you nicely, instead of writing to me with all of the above simply write with the current news that is relevant towards these topics:

- Politics within the Ministry

- Politics concerning Azkaban in mates

- News regarding anything to do with the Dark Lord and his followers

- Any new information within the professional Potions field

As long as you abide by these simple guidelines, this correspondence will fit the requirements of our contract. That is all.

S. Snape

P.M


	3. Letter Two

To S. Snape,

I must clarify something, as I do not believe that you are fully grasping the concept behind the peer letter project. As you said in your letter the project is all about political grand standing, which I must attest you are partially correct. But it has nothing to do with mending your crackled and damaged souls. The animals locked away in the cages of Azkaban can not be fixed by words and paper. This is about drawing back the blood stained curtain, that have been hiding murders, rapists and the criminally insane. It is about shading our eyes to light that has been blinding us for so long. This is about righting wrongs, it is about progression and the future.

The minds brought together through the A.I.R.S Company, worked endlessly to find a solution for the future generations and our current generation from falling back into old habits. With the immediate danger of death and blood shed gone, it didn't take long for those observing to see well versed patterns immersing that which of course started both wars. There is nothing greater in our world than blood status and the prejudice that comes with it. We have gone down that road before and it leads to nothing but dead friends and family, nothing was ever reached by either war. Nothing was gained, no understanding brought forth. It was all for naught.

Though I believe no one, guilty or innocence alike, will willing forget the terror of living through either war created by Tom Riddle's fixation on the purity of blood. A lot of people would simply like to sweep it all under the metaphorical rug of their minds. This project is to stop this eventual path, it is about reminding the people of what negligence, prejudice and hatred can do. It is about making sure that we never forget about the lives stolen. The main focus of the peer letter project is about making sure the wizards and witches that lost their lives were not in vain.

How this can all be achieved you may ask? Well it's simple really. Hatred spreads like a disease, and we are praying that this is the antidote. If only one person remembers what happened when no one stepped forward to stop this unnecessary hatred, then others will follow. Humans are like animals we follower the leader, we flock to what society says is right. We can not be naive enough to believe we can destroy hatred and prejudice completely but maybe, just maybe we can open enough eyes to make it possible for us to not repeat old mistakes.

So if you have any problems with any of this and would like to stipulate any more guidelines for me to follow, then please go ahead. But just know this I will not stop writing, these letters will continue to come and as long as they do, you will be made to reply. You will be constantly reminded of what has happened to our world and how it has lead you to where you are right now. Trapped and caged behind cold steel bars.

But know this, I do not need to ask you questions or write to you with idle chit chat to get to know you. I already know you better than anyone believes. I know you will hate me for trying to use this against you, which I honestly must say I am not, and you will resent me for having the upper hand. You love the feel of power and I will use that to make you submit, I will use it to make you open up and reveal things only your shadow knows. It may not be tomorrow or next year but it will happen, it simply will.

So to finish up I will say that I am not offering you a friendship or a confessional. I am giving you a reason to remember, a reason to never forget. Because I know the real you and I know what you really did. So don't' forget and neither will I.

- 87


	4. Letter Three

87.

I will make this as brief as I possibly can, as I do not relish the chance to entertain your delirious notions. The idea that I crave power is laughable and if you knew me as well as you state then you would know I do not laugh, which begs me to question your entire accountability to the dealings of honesty and truth. That being said I would like to clarify that power is not a concept to which I can even think fondly on, so I would ask that you rethink your strategy and current line of thinking when it comes to the subject of my person. I have yet a better idea, think of my person not at all and save us all the trouble of this tiresome tirade that you seem to be building up to.

I care not for any of the other nonsense you spouted on about, as you said I am stuck caged for the rest of my foreseeable future, so what does all that endless philosophical double-talk really have to do with me? Let me answer that question for you, as you seem to have a tendency to overstate what can be simple reply. Nothing, it has nothing to do with me.

You are right in only one area, I must reply but nowhere does it say that I must reply to what you have said. So be prepared to be confused, disgusted and maybe even a little enlightened by how much drivel can be produced by one man. You will gain nothing from this exchange, that I can grantee you.

S. Snape  
PM


	5. Letter Four

To S. Snape,

Per your guidelines, I have provided any pertinent information regarding the politics within the Ministry, politics concerning Azkaban in-mates and any new information within the professional field of Potions making.

- The Ministry of Magic has started up a new campaign to enforce Blood Status tolerance; he is working along side Mr. Harry Potter. The majority of the London community are now in favour of the new campaign since the War Hero signed up to help. If this campaign is successful and is passed through, than new laws will be enforced to keep the peace between Purebloods and Muggleborns. These laws will follow the same lines as the term "Mudblood" becoming a taboo and anyone caught speaking it will serve a minimum of one year in Azkaban. Another enforcement will be to inform parents of Muggleborn witches and wizards one year after their child's birth of their magical properties, and will have yearly visits to the wizardry world. This is to help the muggleborn child integrate within the magical world and lower the knowledge gap between children born in the magical world and the muggle world when their attend their first year of schooling.

- A debate over whether Dementors should be replaced altogether, as it is inhuman. While others believe that the in mates in maximum security are there for a reason and deserve all they get. There is also another group who believe that the Dementors should be given access to all of Azkaban's in mates once more, as no matter the crime or pardon, they should be given the traditional punishment. The Ministry is currently staying strong on the changes he made two years prior.

- Potion's Master Lenore Algates is currently researching ways to create a more efficient Veritaserum potion. Many in the field believe his efforts to be pointless as Veritaserum is as effective as it will ever be achieved, but Algates strongly believes in the fact that people can work around the serum and divulge only half truths. He believes that people are able to hide important information by only revealing what they know in cryptic round about ways, he says that once the potion is complete it could be used on convicted Azkaban in mates to find the locations of the still half a dozen missing person's since the Final Battle.

"At the very least," Mr. Algates says, "the families can receive some form of closure after five long years, if it turns out the their loved ones are deceased and known convicted Death Eaters have the information to find their remains it is still better than the unknown."

All of the above is the information that you would be unaware of since you were found guiltily. If more is released to the public I will relay the information on.

As a side note I would like to point out that just by mentioning the notion of power, you opened up and revealed, "that power is not a concept to which [you] can even think fondly on-", by telling me that you have showed that you were not a Death Eater to gain power, but for other reasons altogether. That is all I will say on that subject.

As a farewell, I will say that I look forward to the drivel that will be produced by the Potions Master, Professor Severus Snape. It should be a dry, witty and sardonic form of intelligence. I must let you know I don't expect anything else, so you mustn't let me down.

Awaiting your reply.

87


	6. Letter Five

87.

The information in which you have gathered is barely of adequate proportions. I will require a more in-depth compilation of all the information regarding Alagtes absurd notions that he can improve an already highly successful potion. Though merit must be conceded to his though process, tell him this when you write to him for a copy of all his notes thus far. Remind Algates this; 'I once gave him a silver lining, now he must return it'. Do not go into anything further than what I have put forth and no I will not explain it to you, it does not concern you in the least.

On top of this, reprimand Potter for being an imbecile. He has now given the purebloods a reason to be more conniving and withdrawn from the rest of the wizardry community then before. Extraordinary work as always, I never expected anything but the best from the wonder child. Such delusions of grandeur, how it much feel to live with ones head stuck in ones armpit I can only imagine.

As for the information about the dementors it is all irrelevant as from what you put forth I know more about this subject then you. From within azkaban's very walls I have learned more and the only noise people speak are screams for their demise. So you have once again proven yourself useless.

I am ignoring anything else you may have written, as I didn't even bother to read you whinging drivel. It bores me.

S. Snape  
PM

- Do not reply without Algates notes.


	7. Letter Six

To S. Snape,

If I didn't know you better I would have to say that the cell you reside in has turned you into a bitter, cold man. But what a laughable notion, I am sure you are in agreement as you have always shown these symptoms.

I would like to state that I am not your house elf and can not (_and do not appreciate_) being ordered about. Saying as much there is not much- my apologies I will make amends on the latter part. There is not anything you can do to reinforce your demands. What are you to do seriously, give me detention?

Now by no mean do I say this to make fun of you or shove your harsh reality in your face (_for which you are most assuredly already aware of_), I am simply stating a fact to remind you of your predicament. If you wish to have the information you desire, perhaps try some more cordial means in which to gain this, than disdainful remarks and see where that gets you. You might find it extremely beneficial for you.

If you had tried this earlier you may not be in your current location as such, but that is only an outsides view point and in consideration may not hold much weight to the surrounding circumstances to your dilemmas.

Kind Regards,  
87

- **_please find attached the notes you requested from Algates._**


	8. Letter Seven

- 87

I must reiterate once again that you do not know me for if you did you would not be trying this tiring game of annoy the Potions Master. I say this not as a joke but a warning. I may not be able to do anything personally from my current situation but rest assured not everyone I know is behind bars and not all of them are how would you put it, oh yes cordial. I am not a man to make idle threats. Threats in themselves are the most outlandish form of intimidation to get ones end result but I am left with little left as you so _cordially_ pointed out.

I have lived my life in the same way for many years and it worked to my benefit the majority of the time, when those involved were not an idiotic moron. It is not I who is the problem but you and I believe the Ministry for I did not voluntarily put myself in this cell. I have no immediate issue, or any at all to be candid, you do. I have no concern for any of the subjects regarding myself you brokered in your previous letter.

As for the want of information, it will do you nothing to try and blackmail me. Many have tried and none have been successful (_and to continue on with my current candidacy,_ bar one), I have little hope you will succeed. But a part of me, I assume that it to be the part that has become deranged from constant isolation within this tomb, but part of me wishes you to try if only to mildly entertain me for a faction of a second with your measly efforts. 

_**- PM**_


	9. Letter Eight

Severus Snape,

Abuse gets no one anywhere and you say have gotten on fine, but what if you were more genital to your colleagues – would that not mean you would have had more character witnesses at your trail instead of just two and a pensive of Albus Dumbledore.

'Actions speak louder than words' is a phrase of romantic rubbish, when words can touch the heart, can touch the soul. But then again actions do have their own merit in justifying a persons character, for you may say one thing while do another. A good example is a man to say he would was loyal to a certain Dark Lord mean while spy on him and leak his plans to the side of light.

So in conclusion I suppose it will be necessary for me to concede to you and retract my previous statements about your manner of addressing people.

In other matters how did you find Algates notes, I noticed you conveniently neglected to mention anything on the subject. I took a quick perusal, for you could not stop me and I found it quite vague and un-researched. His concept is sound but his general understanding of the highly concentrated ingredients involved are by far lacking in skill and basic knowledge. I do not believe he will succeed but will simply lay the ground work for a more proficient Master of the trade to take over.

Regards

- 87


	10. Letter Nine

87 –

I thought myself finally insane when I read your last letter. I had ever notion of you being a Hogwarts student from your abhorrent impression that you knew me at all and by your decree of knowing me _"really"_ well. With this in mind I was to believe you to be one of those ridiculously courageous Gryffindor's but never have I witnessed a retraction of ones stupidity from the high towers. So blindly are they to stand by their idiocy that it astounds every Slytherin to the core.

I will say this _once_ – I agree with your method of conclusion. Never the less I am perplexed that you could follow your own train of thought, as it was so out of the sphere of what Gryffindor norm behaviour expels from its house.

As for your statements on Algate's notes, I can say you have a slight grasp of what you are speaking of. No means by having been forced to pay attention in class with the threat of detention, regardless your thought process has some small amount of merit and stands to hold some ground. Though I doubt you yourself fully understand the complexity to which Algate's is trying to achieve.

S Snape

PM


End file.
